Sheet-metal pipe



(M0del.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. AUSTIN. I

SHEET METAL PiP Patented Dec. 25 1883.

UNITED STAT-ES PAT NT Unites.

SHEET-METAL PIPE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 290,659, dated December25, 1883.

' Application filed August 8,1882. '(llIodeL) i its entire, surfaceprovided with two sets of flutes or corrugations intersecting eachother, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

Sheetmetal spouting as applied forpractical use requires ordinarily tobe attached to the flat surface of buildings and to be extendedfrequently in great lengths or to great height.

When thus applied, the pipe is subjected to numerous influences tendingto its destruction and disarrangement, more particularly its tendency toexpand and contract lengthwise under the strains to which it issubjected, whereby it is caused to become disconnected or disengagedfrom its fastenings if securely applied; the liability of its beingcrushed or flattened by blows, strains, and pressures which it is liableto encounter; its liability to be burst by the expansion of waterfreezing there in; its liability, when used in great lengths, t9 becomebent or swayed out of position. In addition to the above difficulties,another and serious difficulty encounteredwhen the pipe is manufacturedon a commercial scale for sale in the market is the liability of itsbecoming flattened and crushed by the strains and press ures to which itis subjected while in transit or in storage. After numerous experiments,I have found that all of the above difficulties may be completelyovercome by constructing a sheet-metal pipe having the metal of whichits body is composed indented, corrugated, or fluted in two or moredirections, and this without materially adding to the expense of manufacture, and without materially increasing the amount of metal requiredfor the production of the pipe. It is preferred to construct the pipewith one series of corrugations or flutes extending in line with itsaxis and arranged in close proximityto each other, and with a secondcorrugation or seriesof corrugations extending spirally around the pipefrom end to end and intersecting the corrugations first named. Goodresults are, however, secured when both corrugations or series ofcorrugations extend spirally around the pipe in opposite directions. Theribs or corrugations may be raised to aconsiderable height above thegeneral surface of the pipe, in which event the interme diate portion ofthe pipe between its corrugations may be left plain or cylindrical; butit is preferred to use smaller corrugations or corrugations of lessheight, and to arrange them in close proximity to each other, so thatthe entire surface of the pipe presents a waved or corrugatedappearance. The corrugations employed are ordinarily of a serpentine orzigzag form in cross-section; but they may be varied in form withoutdeparting from. the limits of the invention, it being manifest that itis immaterial whether corrugations are more or less abrupt incross-section. The pipe constructed on my plan is composed in everyinstance of a sheet or plate of metal, corrugated as above, curled intoa tubular form, and united by seaming or otherwise securing its edgestogether in a longitudinal di rection.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of my pipe in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofthe same on the line 00 m. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pipe.having its body or surface of modified form. Fig. 4 is a crosssection ofthe same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of still another modification ofthe pipe. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveof a pair of rolls which may be employed for the production of my pipe;Figs, 8 and 9, perspectives of rolls of modified form for the samepurpose.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the pipe having its body formedof sheet metal in ICC winding spirally about the pipe from end to endand intersecting the corrugations b; The corrugations may be formed inthe pipe prior to, during, or subsequent to the bending of the sheetinto the tubular form, and the two series of corrugations may be formedsimulta neously or successively, as desired. In Fig. 1 the spiralcorrugation c is of narrow width and winds about the pipe, so that itssuccessive convolutions are considerably separated from each other.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4: I) and c represent two series of flutes orcorrugations, both extending around the pipe spirally in oppositedirections from each other;

dled and subjected to severe strains without danger of crushing orlosing form. It may d also be applied, by rigid fastenin gs, and ingreat lengths, to exposed walls,without danger of its expansion andcontraction causing it to sway out of line or become detached from thefastenings, or on the other hand of its tearing the fastenings loosefrom the wall, the flutes permitting the metal to yield to the fullextent required. It is also found in practice that while the pipe willyield sufficiently to prevent rupture when subjected to the expansion ofice formed therein, it will readily resume its original form upon thedisappearance of the ice.

Letters Patent have heretofore been granted to me for a sheet-1netalpipe corrugated in a longitudinal direction; and I am aware that pipehas been ornamented, by hand or other wise, by the production offanciful designs therein, and these I do not claim.

The means and method employed for producing my pipe constitute no partof the present invention, the steps required to produce a pipe such asherein described being well understood by any person skilled in the art.The drawings, however, for the sake of illustration, represent two formsof apparatus which may be employed to produce the pipe.

In Fig. 7 the apparatus consists simply of two parallel rolls, E and F,one of which is provided with an operating-crank, and connected to itscompanion by intermediate gear, G, whereby the two rolls are caused toturn toward each other at equal speeds. The surfaces of the two rollsare corrugated or ribbed to conform precisely with the form which is tobe given the pipe. The lower roll is also provided with a longitudinalslit, 9, to receive the edge of the sheet from which the pipe is to beformed. In operating with this machine the edge of the blank or flatsheet of metal is inserted in the groove 9 and the rolls revolved insuch manner as to pass the sheet between The result of the operationwill be a them.

sheet which is crimped or corrugated in two directions and coiled into acylindrical form around the lower roll. The blank thus produced may beremoved from the roll and seamed together at its edges.

Figs. 8 and 9 represent two pair of co-operating rolls, which will beconnected and driven in the manner indicated in Fig. 7. The rolls H andI of Fig. 8 are fluted or corrugated lengthwise, so that in passing asheet of metal between them they will crimp or corrugate the same in onedirection only. The rolls J and K (represented in Fig. 9) are provided,one with a spiral rib or ribs and the other with a corresponding groove.The lower roll, K, is also provided with a longitudinal slit, 9, toreceive and retain the edge of the sheet. The sheet, as it is deliveredfrom the rolls of Fig. 8 corrugated in one direction, has one edgeinserted in the slit g of the roll K, and is then carried by therotation of said rolls J and K between them. By this operation saidrolls are caused to produce in said sheet a series of oblique or spiralribs extending across or intersecting those which were formed by therolls H and I. At the same time that this is done the sheet is woundinto cylindrical form around the lower roll. The resulting blank isseamed together at its edges, as in the preceding case. I do not claimas part of the present invention. the means represented for producingthe pipe, the right being reserved to make the same the subject of aseparate application.

I am also aware that a description has been published of a thin seamlesstubing of small diameter for the formation of pencil-cases, havin gquadrangular or barleycorn projections formed thereon by drawing thesame successively through dies having spiral ribs and grooves therein inreverse directions, and this I do not claim, the method referred tofailing to disclose a mode of construction practically applicable towater-pipe, and also failing to disclose the application of a pipe withdouble corrugations in such manner or for such purposes as to renderavailable the properties possessed by the pipe constructed in accordancewith my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As a new articleof manufacture, a water-conductor consisting of a sheet of metal curledinto a tubular form, united longitudi nally at the edges, and providedwith corrugations or flutes extending in diverse directions therein,whereby the pipe is rendered stiff and rigid, and is permitted to expandin all directions.

2. A sheet-metal pipe provided with a series of longitudinalcorrugations, and also with a spiral corrugation or corrugations, asdescribed and shown.

XVILLIAM AUSTIN.

\Vitnesses:

B. I. OBDYKE, H. O. GARA.

